Healthy homemade snacks your kids and family will love! Easy and affordable to make, these from scratch kid snacks are delicious for at home or on the go. Get healthy benefits and comfort from knowing exactly what ingredients are in your family’s snacks!
From Scratch Kid Snacks
If you are like me, then you are tired of having to read the ingredient list on every box for every questionable ingredient. Making healthy homemade snacks from scratch is an easy, affordable, and delicious alternative from grocery store snacks.
Toxic Ingredients in Store Bought Snacks
Although I am a blogging mom, I don’t always go to “mom blogs” for my research. I am a firm believer in science, evidence based, and peer reviewed research, along with personal experience and testimonies. The ingredients I share below are from reliable resources and data (both evidence based and human experiences). I am also a firm believer on coming to your own conclusion, and doing further research on your own. Therefore, don’t just take my word for it, look into each ingredient for yourself.
- High-Fructose Corn Syrup
- Artificial Sweeteners
- Acesulfame potassium (Sweet One, Sunett)
- Advantame
- Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal)
- Neotame (Newtame)
- Saccharin (Sweet’N Low)
- Sucralose (Splenda)
- Luo han guo (Monk Fruit in the Raw)
- Purified stevia leaf extracts (Truvia, PureVia, others)
- Sodium Nitrite
- Monosodium Glutamate
- Enriched Flour
- Trans Fat
- BHT and BHA
- Hydrogenated Oils
- Artificial Colors
What Ingredients to Watch Out For
Many ingredients are hidden through their chemical name. Some labels are required to use the chemical name of ingredients, which generate a name based off of their chemical compound. This can cause the name to look different and ingredients to look long and confusing. For example, the chemical name for water is dihydrogen oxide. Therefore, you may not realize a product contains water when you don’t see the physical word, “water”.
When shopping for snacks, and food products in general, look for these key words:
FREE FROM:
- Artificial Flavors
- Artificial Colors
- Artificial Sweeteners
- High-Fructose Corn Syrup
- Preservatives
- MSG
- Trans Fat (show 0 on the label)
- Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) or Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT)
- *Sunflower, corn, canola, soybean, and olive oils were defined as nonhydrogenated vegetable oils (safe to use)
Benefits of From Scratch Cooking
Don’t let the convenience of packaged food fool you. The major of companies are focused on one thing: money. It may seem like they have your best interest at heart, based on their packaging and advertisements, but their real concern is producing high quantities of food at a low cost. This isn’t the case for every company, but many know that colorful boxes, catchy phrases, peaceful pictures, and listing “perks” on their packaging is going to capture your attention.
What should get our attention? The part of the package we should be the most concerned with and intrigued by, is the nutrition label. Becoming aware of ingredients, how they grow, how they are manufacturer, how they are packaged, will help us become more aware of what we need for our bodies, and what we need to say no to.
The greatest benefit of baking from scratch kid snacks, or making any food from scratch, is our ability to choose what goes into it. We have the ability to maximum our child’s nutrition, choose the freshest products, source our ingredients wisely, and avoid the toxic ingredients. Making from scratch food may require more time, but time will never outweigh the benefits of quality and nutrition.
Also try my homemade bread pudding!
Banana Bread
Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups flour (2 cups GF 1 to 1)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) salted butter (melted)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 – 5 ripe bananas (mashed, leave small chunks)
- 1 teaspoon sugar (sprinkle on top before baking)
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Rub 1 tablespoon along the bottom and edges of the 8 x 11 baking pan, or line your pan with parchment paper.
2. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat eggs. Once eggs are beaten, add and mix butter, brown sugar, and vanilla until well combined. Add the bananas and mix slowly.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, and salt. Once mixed, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and mix until combined.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Spread the mixture until it lays evenly. Sprinkle the granulated sugar on top of the mixture.
5. Bake for 45 minutes. Test the center of the bread with a tester. Bake until the test comes out clean. Allow the bread to cool and set up.
6. Store at room temperature for 2-3 days.
Peanut Butter Balls
Peanut Butter Protein Balls
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled (or instant) oats
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1/3 cup flaxseed
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly until oats are coated.
- Using a cookie scoop or spoon, create balls.
- Store in the fridge to keep firm.
Instant Pot Yogurt
Instant Pot Yogurt
Ingredients
- 1/2 gallon milk
- 1/4 cup yogurt
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (optional sweetener)
- Thermometer
Instructions
- Press the "sauté" button on the Instant Pot. Pour half gallon of milk and whisk every few minutes. Once milk heats up (roughly 140 degrees F), whisk frequently to avoid milk scolding on the bottom of the pot.
- Heat milk until it reaches 180 degrees F. (Milk should become frothy.)
- Allow milk to cool back down to 115 degrees F. (This should take roughly 2 hours).
- Once temperature is roughly 115 degrees F, add 1/4 cup yogurt and whisk. Continue whisking until the yogurt has been thoroughly mixed.
- Remove ring from Instant Pot lid. Secure lid, and make sure lid is set to "Venting".
- Press the "Yogurt" button on the Instant Pot. Allow milk 12-15 hours to ferment. (I set mine to 12 hours).
- Once 12-15 hours is up, strain yogurt from whey. (If you want a thick greek yogurt, allow as much whey to strain as possible. I like to leave mine all day).
- Slowly add heavy cream back into the yogurt and whisk. Continue to add heavy cream until the yogurt reaches the consistency of choice.
- OPTIONAL: I added 1/2 cup powdered sugar to my yogurt to sweeten it. You can also add honey or maple syrup.
Homemade Granola
Homemade Granola
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- (optional ingredients: flaxseed, nuts, dried fruit, cinnamon, coconut flakes)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla, and rolled oats. Stir until all of the oats are thoroughly coated.
- Spread oats evenly on an unbleached parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes (or until golden brown). Stir oats halfway.
- Allow cool for 15-20 minutes until granola has cooled and hardened.
Smoothie Bites
Smoothie Bites
Ingredients
- 1.5 - 2 cups strawberries
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1.5 cup spinach
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 ounce gelatin
Instructions
- Wash fruit and spinach.
- Using a blender, mix fruit, water, and spinach until liquid.
- Add gelatin powder. Blend until thorough mixed.
- Pour mixture into molds or 8x11 baking dish.
- Allow 2 hours to set up in the fridge. Store in fridge for up to 4 days.
Homemade Granola Bars
Homemade Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 2 cups Rice Krispies
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup coconut flakes
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
1. In a large bowl, combine oats and Rice Krispies.
2. In a small pot on medium heat, whisk butter, honey, and brown sugar until all ingredients have melted together. (Add coconut oil if it is not melted.)
3. Pour hot butter mixture over oats and Rice Krispies. Add coconut oil, and stir until all oats and Rice Krispies are thoroughly coated.
4. Allow 20 minutes to cool.
5. Once cooled, add mini chocolate chips and coconut flakes.
6. Press into a 8x11 (for thicker) or 9x13 pan (for store bought thickness) sized granola bars.
7. Allow granola bars to set up for 2 hours in the fridge.
*Keep in the fridge to keep shape and firmness.
Homemade Animal (Teddy) Grahams
Homemade Animal (Teddy) Grahams
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 3 tablespoons of maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup sugar
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl, mix flour, salt, and cocoa powder.
- Add milk, vanilla, maple syrup, and sugar. (If you want sweet animal grahams, add more maple syrup or sugar.)
- Stir until mixture becomes a thick dough.
- Press into molds. (If you do not have molds, roll out and cut with cookie cutters.)
- Bake at 325 degrees F. for 15 minutes (for soft grahams) and 25 minutes (for crispy grahams).
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Enjoy!
SUPPLIES I USED!
*Amazon links are affiliate links
- Heart mold: https://amzn.to/3OU3kep
- Animal mold: https://amzn.to/44ufsbM
- Fruit and Veggie Spray: https://amzn.to/3KZZ0cx
- Fruit Juicer: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Hamilton-Beach-Easy-Clean-Juice-Extractor-800-Watts-Model-67735/809504798?athbdg=L1600&from=/search
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Resources
Check out these resources for more information on toxic ingredients.
- Harvard Health
- MPH Program
- Healthline
- Scholarly Articles about Food Coloring
- Scholarly Articles about Artificial Sweeteners
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